What Happens When French Jews Make It to Israel?

According to Israeli government figures, 7,469 French immigrants made aliyah (moved to Israel) in 2015. That number is up from 6,658 in 2014 and 3,263 in 2013. A decade ago, the number was 2,948. For the past two years, the French have been the largest immigrant group arriving in Israel, overtaking Russians and Ukrainians.

“What we are witnessing, in my opinion, is a whole shift in history,” says Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), which helps people immigrate to Israel. Previously, Jews emigrated from Eastern Europe, North Africa and elsewhere in the Middle East, he says. “Now we’re seeing waves from Western Europe, which we never thought we’d see—France, Belgium and I predict it’s going to be others.”

Here you’ll find an array of useful information on accommodations, transportation, exchanging currency, Israel's climate and customs, and much more. So get the most out of your trip to Israel with the help of The Fellowship.

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) funds humanitarian aid to the needy in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world, promotes prayer and advocacy on behalf of the Jewish state, and provides resources that help build bridges of understanding between Christians and Jews.